Picture taken from www.dogfacts.org
Good day and welcome everyone!
This is Sharda with another Cocker Spaniel newsletter.
If you’re looking to bring home a Cocker Spaniel puppy, of course you want a cute, happy, fun, friend. Where To Buy Cocker Spaniels?
But you also want to make sure that your new puppy is as healthy as possible.
You should avoid buying your puppy from a puppy mill or mall pet store which usually gets their Spaniel dogs from these mills.
Because of puppy mills, most mega-sized pet stores like PetSmart and PetCo will not sell dogs but they do host adoption events.
A puppy mill exists only to produce as many Cocker Spaniels as possible to meet public demand and stuff the wallets of greedy ill-intentioned Cocker Spaniel breeders.
Their breeding practices are questionable and they are seldom concerned with pedigree or inherent health issues.
Even if you’re not concerned with pedigree from a show or breed registration viewpoint—after all mutts need love too—you still want a puppy that’s conceived and reared in a healthy environment.
As mentioned earlier, the goal of every reputable breeder is to meet the AKC, Kennel Club, or similar standards.
This won’t preclude with 100 percent certainty the potential for problems but it will greatly increase your chances of finding a well-cared for, properly socialized, healthy animal.
This is because reputable breeders will not intentionally breed dogs with known ailments or defects.
How your Cocker Spaniel puppy turns out begins at conception and is based on the knowledge and skill of the breeder.
From selecting the parents to raising the Cocker Spaniel puppies to the age at which you find them and want to take one home, the breeder sets the foundation for your puppy’s future; you will complete the building process once you get him home.
To locate a reliable Cocker Spaniel breeder in your area check with the AKC and the ASC in the United States, the CKC in Canada and the Kennel Club in England.
Investigate the Cocker Spaniel Breeders
Because this is a decision you’ll have to live with for the next dozen or so years, it’s worth doing a bit of homework up-front.
Assuming you’ve decided to shop with a breeder and you’ve compiled your list of trusted sources, you should now schedule appointments to visit and inspect the facilities.
Don’t balk at this idea, too many people take more time shopping for a sofa than they do a pet and it only leads to misery for everyone.
You want to make sure the breeder isn’t a “backyard breeder”, the canine equivalent of a “shade tree mechanic”.
When visiting the Cocker Spaniel breeder, take note of the Spaniel dogs and the conditions in which they live.
The facility as a whole should be spacious and clean.
Ask questions
Ask if they are members of breed clubs, specialty clubs or obedience clubs. Affiliation with a club means you can check their references to make sure they don’t run a puppy mill.
Inquire as to whether the dogs have been cleared of eye diseases, hip displaysia and other inherent conditions.
There is more information on common Cocker Spaniel ailments in the chapter on Health Concerns.
Beware of “Private Sellers”
If you are shopping diligently you are sure to come across someone offering Cocker Spanil puppies for sale as a private individual.
Frankly, if they have a female dog that has just given birth to a litter of pups, they are a breeder. One litter is all it takes to make a breeder of anyone.
So, with that in mind, what you should ask yourself is; did the breeder of this pup produce this litter responsibly or irresponsibly?
Did she have the right knowledge or not? Did she practice due diligence in selecting healthy parents?
If the seller of your pup insists she’s not a breeder, politely walk away and find one with more awareness and character.
I hope that you learned a lot from today’s Cocker Spaniel newsletter
All the best and take care
Warmly,
Sharda Baker